The present invention relates, generally, to children""s car seats and, more particularly, to inserts for children""s car seats to provide improved support for the child, especially for infants and newborns.
All states require that children be restrained in an appropriate car seat while in an operating vehicle. While the states differ on the exact maximum child size and age requirement, they all have laws that are designed to protect children until they are old or big enough so that only seat belts provide appropriate safety. This is especially important for newborns just being discharged from the hospital after birth. Child car seat manufacturers have developed standard types and sizes of car seats to assure parents that not only are their children safe but that they are compliant with the laws of the States. Unfortunately, these standardized child car seats cannot accommodate newborns or very small infants, including premature newborns and prematurely discharged newborns weighing 2 kg. or less.
This creates a problem for the parents in transporting the child. This problem affects not only the comfort of the child but also his or her safety and health. Studies have shown that premature infants have significant decreases in oxygen saturation while restrained in a car seat with 30% experiencing hypoxia, bradycardia, sleep apnea or some combination of those conditions. The decrease in oxygen saturation is directly related to the degree to which the infant is reclining in the car seat; the more upright the infant, the greater the physiological risk, the more supine, the lesser the risk. This occurs because the more upright the infant, the greater the tendency for the infant to slouch or slump, either forward or sideways, thereby resulting in airway obstruction in the infant. Infant slouching or slumping occurs for two basic reasons, low birth weight infants cannot resist the gravitational effects if their bodies are in a too upright position, and standard sized child car seats do not provide the necessary support and orientation for these infants to prevent the gravitational effects. These effects can cause secondary slumping since most infants do not have the physical maturation of the back to maintain an upright position.
To counteract this effect, parents and other caregivers have resorted to rolling up towels, blankets, etc. and wedging them into the space between the infant and the child car seat. Although this method may provide a remedy for the problem, it does not secure the child in the event of an accident or other sudden operation of the automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,576 to Pepys, et al discloses a head support device for a child""s car seat. The Pepys, et al device is a flexible, folding support that does not provide the necessary full body cushioning and support for children of any size. Basic Comfort, Inc. provides a similar type of head support insertable in a car seat. This device also provides a head and body support but without the necessary cushioning to prevent slouching or slumping.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a child""s car seat insert that provides a cushioning positioner and secures the child in the car seat when the child is too small for the car seat. The cushioning positioner should secure the child in a physiologically and physically beneficial orientation and protect the child from injury.
The present invention provides a child""s car seat insert that satisfies the aforementioned need.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cushioning positioner that inserts into any standard child""s car seat.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cushioning positioner that will secure any size child, but especially newborns and infants, including those weighing less than 2 kg, in physiologically and a physically beneficial position while in a car seat.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cushioning positioner that has a cradle angle such that the child is positioned at a proper incline to prevent slumping and slouching while in the car seat.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cushioning positioner that is manufactured from cushioning media to provide comfort, support and security to the child while in the car seat.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cushioning positioner that is comprised of inflatable chambers.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to an insert for a child""s car seat comprising a cushioning positioner secured into a child""s car seat such that the cushioning positioner secures a child of any size in the car seat in a physiologically and physically beneficial orientation and protects the child from injury.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an insert for a child""s car seat comprising a base with child placement area therein; and a restraint having a pivot and a securing end that is pivotally attached to the base such that when the restraint is pivoted away from the base, a child can be placed into the child placement area and when the restraint is pivoted toward the base it releasably attaches at the securing end to the base.
In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to an insert for a child""s car seat comprising a base having a bed and forming a cushioning positioner such that the cushioning positioner secures a child of any size in the car seat in a physiologically and physically beneficial orientation and protects the child from injury due to the operation of the car.
In still another aspect of the invention, an insert is for location in a child""s car seat for preventing slouching of a child adapted to be placed in the car seat. The car seat includes a seat portion and a backrest provided with a pair of shoulder straps that are operative to extend over the child to releasably engage a safety buckle. The insert includes first and second continuous surface portions which define a solid wedge-shaped singular body. The first surface portion is for engaging the child when placed into the car seat. The first surface portion extends angularly between the seat portion and the region of a midpoint of the backrest of the child""s car seat. The first surface portion forms an obtuse cradle angle and an acute angle with the seat portion of the child""s car seat. The cradle angle is located outside of the body. The acute angle is located at least in part inside the body. The body is for transferring weight of the child to the child""s car seat.
In still another aspect of the invention, a child""s car seat insert is for preventing slouching of a child adapted to be placed on the insert in a car seat in a travel position. The insert includes a bed portion having a top surface for receiving the child and for engaging at least the back of the child. The insert also includes a support for supporting the child on the top surface and for minimizing slouching of the child in the car seat. The insert also includes a pocket located in the bed portion for releasably receiving the support.
In still another aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a child seat to be placed on a vehicle seat. The child seat has a backrest and a seat portion. The apparatus also includes an insert for location in the child seat for minimizing sloughing of a child placed on the insert when the insert is located in the child seat. The insert, when placed on the child seat, extends between the seat portion and the region of a midpoint of the backrest. The insert comprises first and second continuous surface portions which define a solid wedge-shaped singular body. The first surface portion is for facing the child in the child seat. The second surface portion is for facing the backrest and the seat portion of the child seat. The body is for transmitting the weight of the child to the child seat. The first surface portion forms an obtuse angle of between 105xc2x0 and 135xc2x0 with the seat portion when the body is transmitting the weight of the child to the car seat.